Red Sox Notebook: J.D. Martinez returns to Game 2 lineup after missing two games with left ankle sprain

J.D. Martinez is back.

After missing Tuesday’s Wild Card victory and Thursday’s Game 1 loss with a left ankle sprain, the designated hitter back for the Red Sox for Friday night’s Game 2, batting sixth as the DH. The Red Sox waited as long as possible before deciding whether to start Martinez or not, but it was finally announced about an hour before game time after the team came off the field from batting practice.

Martinez injured his left ankle in the fifth inning of Sunday’s season finale victory over the Nationals when he slipped after stepping on second base on his way to play defense in right field, which Red Sox manager Alex Cora said is something he normally does. He played that inning but was then removed from the game.

Martinez was added to the Red Sox’ ALDS roster with the hope that he would play at some point in the series. He was available as a pinch hitter in Thursday’s loss and wasn’t used. But he was a full-go for Friday night.

Is Devers hurt?

One big talking point of Thursday’s loss was the status of Rafael Devers, who appeared to be grimacing and favoring his right wrist/forearm after several swings and misses. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Red Sox third baseman suffered an arm injury in Tuesday’s Wild Card win, but it’s not clear how.

Cora once again downplayed any discomfort Devers may be experiencing at the plate, saying again that it’s part of the wear and tear of playing a full season.

“Like I said, over 162 games you’re not going to be 100 percent,” Cora said. “He’s posting and that’s the most important thing. I don’t think everybody is 100 percent right now. They go through their day, they get treatment if they need to and they get ready to play the game and that’s where we’re at with everybody.”

Kiké finding himself again

Kiké Hernandez hasn’t been quite the same at the plate since his return after testing positive for COVID-19.

After finding his groove as Cora’s leadoff man this summer, Hernandez’s two-week COVID stoppage seems to have sapped that momentum. In 22 games to finish the regular season following his return, Hernandez batted just .213 with a .665 OPS. He was 1-for-7 in two postseason games entering Friday, as he batted second behind Kyle Schwarber.

“It’s about controlling the strike zone,” Cora said. “When he is really good, really hot, he is not expanding in hitter’s counts. We knew that early in the season. We saw that, and sometimes he gets to 2-0, 3-1, and what do we want to do in those counts. Obviously he can do damage, but at the same time it has to be in certain areas. He cannot expand because if they throw a fastball, we’re going on swing at the fastball because it’s a fastball. There’s a lot of “fastballs” in that sentence.

“But just control the aggression. I think that’s the most important thing, and when he does that, that’s when he becomes dangerous.”

Odds & ends

Nathan Eovaldi will start Sunday’s Game 3 at Fenway Park. … Nick Pivetta, who pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief in Thursday’s loss, is still a candidate to start a potential Game 4 on Monday.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3oJSaxu